Thursday, February 08, 2007

Well, it has certainly bee a grueling week, and I am talking for the media, let alone the players. Up at 6:30 every morning in order to get to grounds on time in order to do live scoring, trying to keep emotions in check and pretending to be neutral. Failing miserably on that last one. Meetings. More meetings. Interviews with players, officials and anyone who would talk to me basically. Articles. Match reviews, you name it. Exhausting, but fun none the less, and seemingly productive. Everyone in Kenya seems to be keen on pulling in the same direction, and that in itself bodes well for Kenyan cricket..Despite all the running around and goings on by everyone else, this week has really been about the players and their quest to prove themselves the 'Best of the Rest'. It should not need me to tell you that the Kenya team acquitted themselves admirably. True, since my last post, they did slip up against Scotland, but then more than made up for it with the convincing win against Canada and then the final against Scotland today..Once again Kenyan players recorded personal bests in all three games, and this surely must be something of a record. I will do a proper article once I have done my research more thoroughly, but at least one Kenyan player has made a PB in every match bar one of their last 12 or so games. This is a fantastic reflection on the coach, Roger Harper, and on the team's commitment. Lets hope the trend continues into the World Cup and beyond..Plenty has been written about this tournament, how much it means to cricket in Kenya and the future. Bottom line is that it sets Cricket Kenya up in a position where they can develop the game and it proves to the World that we are indeed the top Associate. Huge credit to the team for their effort, it couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of guys - true ambassadors of the game and our country. Congratulations to each and every one, and keep it up against the Test teams in the World Cup.